A unique mental health initiative involving fishing as a therapeutic activity has yielded promising results, according to the Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (EPUT). The tailored programme, created in collaboration with Investigating Countryside and Angling Research Projects (ICARP), has demonstrated significant benefits for participants, improving mental health and fostering a sense of community among those involved.
The programme, which has been funded by a £19,200 grant from the North East Essex Health and Wellbeing Alliance, offers individuals with mental health challenges the opportunity to engage in fishing with the guidance of experienced coaches provided by ICARP. While the project served a smaller group of individuals, the wider impact of ICARP’s services reached around 1,000 people.
Robert Chandler, a representative from EPUT, shared that the programme had contributed to reduced mental health challenges among participants. “People’s level of mental health challenges have reduced,” he said, highlighting the positive outcomes from the tailored support and recreational activities.
In addition to the therapeutic benefits, the programme has helped participants form new social connections. “There’s been evidence that people are making new connections in the communities, which is really important,” Chandler noted. The overarching goal of the project is to intervene early, providing appropriate support to prevent mental health from deteriorating further.
Participants in the programme have praised the experience. One individual, recovering from a traumatic brain injury, shared that fishing allowed them to relax and escape from everyday stresses. “I like being outside fishing; I’ve always loved it and it gives you a chance just to relax – no stresses, forget about everything else. And it’s just fabulous,” they said.
The positive impact was also felt by family members of participants. One participant’s wife expressed that the programme had significantly lifted her husband’s mood. “He’s thrilled to bits because he’s met people with similar problems, and he doesn’t feel so isolated,” she said. “He loves being out in the country, in the air, and with nature.”
ICARP has been focusing on supporting individuals suffering from trauma-related conditions and their work is part of a study conducted by the University of Essex. Dr. Mark Wheeler, joint chief executive and clinical lead at ICARP, emphasized that while fishing is not a cure for mental health conditions, it serves as an effective method to alleviate symptoms. “We’re not claiming this is a full cure for mental health conditions but we are saying that it will reduce those symptoms,” he explained.
Dr. Wheeler suggested that activities like fishing could become a valuable option in “social prescription,” offering a less stigmatized alternative to traditional mental health treatments like therapy or medication. “If we have people coming regularly, we can monitor their risk and see if they’re getting better or worse, and it might be a nice option for a GP to have in their toolbox rather than just the psychotropic medication or formal therapy,” he said.
The project has also provided a sense of belonging for some participants. Brian Haycock, a 67-year-old veteran who served in the military for 44 years, spoke about how the programme helped him cope after the death of his wife. “Coming down and sitting here just feels like a sense of belonging; it’s a second family,” he shared. Now an ICARP coach, Haycock finds fulfillment in helping others. “When I catch a fish, it’s exhilarating. When I’ve sat with a guy who’s a bit unsure and then they catch a fish and suddenly their demeanour changes straight away and their buzz is my buzz,” he said.
ICARP has been gathering evidence on the mental health benefits of angling and expects to publish its full findings in 2028. The project’s ongoing research aims to demonstrate the positive impact of nature-based therapies and further establish fishing as a viable mental health intervention.
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